The Logistics Behind New Retail Store Openings
In our day and age, there are countless supply chain management firms in the logistics industry, and it can become very difficult for retailers to choose a perfect logistics provider. There are numerous things to be considered—especially when new store openings are on the line—and retailers are not in a position to take any risks.
Choosing a Reliable Logistics Service is the Key to a Successful Launch
There is a large list of things that need to get done when a new store is opened. It is almost impossible for one person to take care of everything, from planning to purchase and transport of the goods. Logistics providers can greatly reduce the work burden of store staff at such a crucial time and can drastically speed up the opening of a new store if their company practices the right policies and procedures for success.
The ideal way to manage retail logistics for success is to find an efficient retail procurement expert. Here are a few key factors that need to be considered before a retailer makes the final decision of what logistics provider they will work with:
- The logistics provider needs to understand the task and has to have the proper expertise and tools to complete the task in a timely manner. Are they experienced in high-volume new store openings? Are they capable of fulfilling both small and very demanding retail logistics needs? Look into the experience that each logistics provider has and see if they specialize in retail.
- How strong is the infrastructure of a specific logistics provider? Among others, it must include proper warehouse facilities and shipping services, on top of permissions of shipment, in case of transporting the goods for a new store from a far-off location?
- Will there be consensus on the ethics and other crucial principles between both the parties? The provider needs to respect all the environment policies and abide by them as well as have good risk management policies in place.
- Were the previous customers satisfied with the service offered? The logistics provider must be offering the best services at the best price.
Logistics Providers Make or Break New Store Openings
A new store is just like a new inning in a retailer’s life; thus, no negligence should be made.
A good logistics provider must have its expertise in shipping through air, sea, rail, and ground. The logistics provider must also empathize with the work and needs of the retailers, therefore, should be accountable to deliver the retail procurement items on time. It is essential for all the items like POP, display shelves and other furniture and fixtures to be delivered on time with no damage. Also, all diligent logistics providers make sure that the material required for a new store not only arrives on time, but also schedule it with the purpose of cost-efficiency.
In the complex operation of supply chain management, an effective logistics provider can efficiently make the work of a retail chain or its staff much easier. If a shipment is late or the items are damaged, new store openings can be delayed or even, in worst case, canceled.
Due Care to POP Displays
POP advertising is the most sought after mode of advertising for the immediate purchasing action and is even more vital for new store openings. Professional logistics providers make a commitment to deliver all the POP material on time with all safety measures taken. After all, advertising on time does pay in the long run. It is advised that POP material should be delivered on the venue at least a few days before the opening, to avoid any delays due to assembly and to allow time to repair any potentially damaged items.
STC Logistics specializes in retail new store openings across the country. Whether you are opening one new store or 100, we make sure that all retail cargo items are packed while considering all the factors, including temperature-sensitivity, transit bumps/jolts and the best shipping routes available. We also take full responsibility of transporting retail products with all safety measures in place. Our retail logistics solutions ensure that we make new store opening deliveries on time, every time. Click here to get your quote today!
Reliable Logistics Solutions for Retail Fixtures and Displays
Having the right fixtures in the right place at the right time can make or break a retail operation. Timing is especially important when considering the fact that most retail stores make their annual profits in small, high-traffic windows throughout the year. The logistics of retail procurement, fixtures and displays plays a pivotal role in determining the success of your business or retail campaign. This blog explains what to consider when approaching retail procurement logistics and choosing a third party logistics provider to ship your procurement cargo.
Timing
Nothing matters more in retail than timing. Timing must be positioned properly to take advantage of holidays, tax-free weekends, new product releases and other narrow timeframes. Effective logistics make sure you receive the products, fixtures and other materials you need, right when you need them… not early, when they might waste valuable warehouse or floor space, or late, when the window of opportunity has already shut. Such strict timing requirements may not matter as much when you’re upgrading your standard displays, but seasonal or event-specific displays need to be ready on time, all the time.
Care
The only thing worse than receiving materials too late or too soon in retail procurement logistics is receiving materials that are damaged or not receiving them at all. Even minor damages can ruin a fixture. Scuffed or scratched displays do not impress customers and less obvious structural damage might result in a display piece breaking while in use. This could cause a safety hazard for shopping customers in busy shopping malls. There is little to be done once you’ve received damaged goods, as even a claim against the shipping firm for the value of the fixture won’t recoup lost potential retail sales in the window of opportunity or time wasted trying to cover for the problem.
Third Party Logistics
With so many factors to consider, in-house logistics personnel can be ineffective or impossible to maintain without compromising profit margins. Specialized retail procurement agencies have specialized knowledge and connections which are invaluable when moving materials around the world or across the nation. Leaving the management of logistic details to individuals whose job it is to know when local shipping laws have changed or what ports will be unusually slow or have a tendency to lose shipments will, in most cases, be superior to training an individual or team in-house to handle the same duties.
Providing the Best Solutions for Retail Procurement Logistics
If you have questions about retail procurement logistics or would like to know how a full-service logistics firm can help your business operate more efficiently and effectively, contact us at STC Logistics by clicking here. We are a trusted provider of retail procurement logistics solutions including new store openings and remodels and marketing campaigns. Thanks to our expert team and our state-of-the-art technology systems and nationwide network of ground, air, rail and ocean transportation, we maintain a 99% on-time delivery rate for businesses across the United States. Learn more about our specialty logistics solutions by clicking here.
Selecting a Logistics Provider with Quality Shipping Tracking Software
Information is key in maintaining a smooth logistics chain. The more information every individual supplier and manufacturer in a given supply chain has access to regarding the status of materials, the more effectively and efficiently those individual companies can manage their own part of that chain. In our modern era, quality logistics and shipment tracking software is a key part of any track and trace logistics solution, and utilization of the superior software to superior effect often marks key differences between two logistics companies.
There are many factors to consider when evaluating shipment tracking software. A software suite that excels in pinpointing shipments en route and stays up-to-date on changes in local shipping conditions may lack equally robust inventory tracking tools, may not output adequate analytics, or may fail and numerous other ways. Here are just a few factors logistics companies should consider when selecting software:
Identification of Points
Before a piece of shipment tracking software can offer anything else, it must be able to accurately map the key points of your supply chain:
- Data Collection: How much information does the shipment tracking software collect at each data point? How accurately and easily does it do so? Using software that allows you to quickly access requested information tremendously speeds up the logistics process.
- Data Assessment: While raw data has its value, smarter shipment tracking software offers more in the way of analytics. Can the software give you full analytics on any possible damage rate or accurate delivery times and updates?
- Integration: Good software ‘plays well with others’. The information produced should be readily available to share across programs or between suppliers, manufacturers, and transporters on the supply chain.
Identification of Goals
A good logistics firm also keeps in mind three end goals in all its evaluations of shipment tracking software:
- Will the software improve supply chain speed?
- Will it improve supply chain reliability?
- Will it create a leaner supply chain?
With those goals and the above factors in mind, it becomes simple to decide which software program to use on a regular basis.
STC Logistics uses the most advanced track and trace shipment tracking software on the market to support its clientele. Under the guidance of logistics experts across the nation and using a massive network of transportation affiliates in hubs across the nation, STC Logistics maintains a 99% on-time delivery rate—better than any of the major shipping companies. Whether your chain needs air, rail, sea, or road travel with large shipments to distributed locations or small shipments to a single location, STC Logistics can provide unmatched precision and reliability. Contact us today for a service quote!
Retail Logistics: Why Timing is Everything
Timing is everything in the retail logistics and transportation industry. Many retail stores struggle to break even in down months and make the entirety of their annual profits in short, frenetic periods each year. Having the right products on the shelves when they are most valuable can mean life or death for any retailer, whether it’s the summer boom in lawn equipment and air conditioners at a hardware shop or having the newest titles on the shelves at a gaming outlet. Ordering too far ahead of schedule can mean as much of a loss as ordering too late—even in periods of low sales, wasted shelves equal lost profits.`
Logistics and transportation must be carefully handled at all stages for a store to achieve maximum profits. On the store’s end, this means careful pre-planning, beginning at least a few months in advance of hectic sales seasons. Important steps in retail planning include:
- Researching products
- Gauging potential sales
- Developing sales and advertising strategies
- Contacting suppliers
- Completing negotiations
- Arranging shipping
- Receiving products and advertising materials
- Shelving products and preparing displays
Several of these steps can be quite difficult without retail logistics and transportation support, but missing important products, over- or under-estimating interest in products or failing to complete negotiations and receive necessary items in a timely manner can all be devastating. Forgetting to order point-of-purchase displays for a major product until the week before the product goes on sale, for example, might make the difference between clear shelves and a full stockroom.
Holidays are of particular concern for any retailer, because as the most vital season for financial success they are also the most likely place for problems to crop up in your logistics and transportation. Perfect preparations store-side can fall apart completely if the chaos of the season overwhelms suppliers, transporters or other parts of your logistics chain. Major logistics and transportation firms fail to deliver express packages on time roughly 10% of the time and lose between 0.5% and 1% of packages every year. Those numbers become even worse during intense seasons.
Having specialists manage your logistics and transportation chain can greatly reduce the odds of delayed order completions and missing shipments. STC Logistics maintains a better than 99% on-time delivery rate to customers in locations across the nation. We offer shipping by air, sea, rail and road and can handle complex large-scale distribution and small daily shipments with equal ease. By working with over 700 logistics and transportation affiliates in and around transportation hubs across the United States, STC Logistics can manage time-sensitive shipments with high precision and reliability. To learn more about our logistics services, click the button below or contact us today for your rate quote!
Retail Procurement: Preparing for the Holiday Season
As the holiday season approaches, gifts and displays have been pouring into retail distribution centers. To be well organized for each upcoming holiday season, retailers must implement smart planning throughout the entire year, usually beginning in August. This will allow retail procurement to find the correct balance for Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping sprees, as well as the remainder of the holiday season.
Smart Planning
The simple steps to the procurement lifecycle that most individuals generally agree upon are as follows.
1. Information gathering
2. Supplier contact
3. Background review
4. Negotiation
5. Fulfillment
6. Consumption
7. Renewal
The most important aspect of smart planning in retail procurement is to order the correct quantities of products thus ensuring renewal demands are met. This includes contingency planning for natural disasters and consumer spending habits that can cause logistical disruptions. The goal of smart planning is to capture the greatest number of sales without being overburdened with excess stock.
In recent years, retail procurement has learned to balance merchandise by improving the overall supply chain. This accounts for improvements in the amount of products to purchase/manufacture, where to place them and how to get them to the stores. Two major contributors to these improvements are technology and flexible agreements with shipping lines.
Order Quantities
For brick-and-mortar stores, the key to a perfect holiday season is for retail procurement to predict the number of each product the company requires at each retailer. Although there is an arbitrary calculation, the correct answer varies greatly per location. The greatest challenges for retail procurement to calculate the correct quantities include:
- Short timeframe
- No selling activity to indicate buyer behavior
- Over-stocking
- Under-stocking
Point-of-Purchase (POP) Displays
In addition to smart planning by retail procurement for products, companies must also create a strategy for POP displays which help drive costs from the supply chain. As a mechanism for advertising, POP displays create value in the retail stores with low labor cost. Therefore, these displays must arrive at the stores concurrent with the products to ensure a timely advertising campaign during the holidays. Therefore, it is critical that upstream logistics is involved in POP display design timelines as assembly and shipping is a major aspect of the process; not just design.
Consumer package goods companies want the POP display to differentiate from the competition through vivid colors and sharp graphics. In many instances, design creates the POP displays to be so complicated to assemble that it adds considerable labor costs, as well as time. In an effort to ship on-time, in some cases, logistics must use expensive transportation methods like air shipping.
Nevertheless, by including logistics and retail procurement in the design and production timeline, POP displays could be scheduled more efficiently to accommodate more cost efficient delivery avenues. By allowing 3PL’s to assist in mapping out the most advantageous transit schedules, improvements will allow for the most intricate displays to still have adequate assembly times.
Shipping POP Displays
Like any other product, there are certain precautions that must be taken when shipping POP displays which should be built into a contingency plan. During transit, shock and vibration can jostle and even damage the display, dirt and dust can collect, corrosion can occur (depending on the material) and exposure to a variety of temperatures can affect the overall appearance or functionality. Therefore, correct testing, proper protection and evaluation of the shipping routes will assist in ensuring safe transportation of the POP displays to their required destinations.
STC Logistics specializes in shipping retail procurement items like POP displays. We pride ourselves on the principal that when we ship your product, it is delivered on-time, 99% of the time. We are a trusted logistics provider for the retail industry and have a successful track record for reliable and flexible logistics solutions. Contact us for all of your holiday shipping needs here or click on the button below!
Shipping Medical Equipment with a Reliable Logistics Provider
For those who are in the medical industry, the partnership created with logistics professionals can impact the way that life and death decisions are made. This could involve moving new medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, biological samples heading off for lab analysis or life-saving artificial organs. While saving lives is always the top priority, there are many risks involved in the transport process that can affect the reliability of those goods.
While there is a lot at stake in regards to the life saving capabilities of doctors by transporting artificial organs or medicines efficiently, there is no greater risk during the supply chain process than when medical equipment is being moved. In fact, just one piece of medical equipment can cost millions of dollars. Fortunately, the best and most reliable logistics companies know how to deal with such matters accordingly.
Organization
With the integrity of expensive pieces of medical equipment being at stake, a company’s ability to transport such equipment safely begins with better organizational practices. Technology plays a huge role in this through the deployment of cloud-based enterprise solutions that make the organization of medical equipment inventory simple while creating a lightning-fast internal communication stream to forward concepts such as:
- Stocking locations
- Special packaging and handling instructions
- Temperature control instructions (when applicable)
- Real-time tracking information
- Delivery confirmation electronically of all medical equipment
Being able to provide detailed reports about how a shipment is being organized from beginning to end will not just lend credence to the abilities of the logistics company, but will also help them to save time and money for their customers.
Creating an Air of Complete Transparency
It is important that the customer is able to see the nature in which their medical equipment is being shipped just as much as it is for different parts of the supply chain to be on the same page. Fortunately, the same cloud-based systems used internally can be made accessible to customers as well. From any internet capable device, the customer could look up information about their shipment including but not limited to, tracking status, the scheduled delivery time and who signed for delivery. With the right digital solutions, logistics outfits make it easy for their clientele to feel completely comfortable with how their situation is being handled.
Responding With Adaptability
Just as there are certain precautions that must be taken when handling hazardous chemicals or other temperature sensitive goods, the same meticulousness must be applied to the handling of medical equipment. There are some pieces of medical equipment such as x-ray machines or MRI devices that are extremely sensitive to problems such as:
- Vibrations or jostling during transit
- Shock
- Dirt and dust
- Corrosion or oxidation
Since even the smallest transit issues can lead to medical equipment needing to be recalibrated or becoming unusable, logistics companies respond by offering packaging assessments. Suggestions for the use of foam packaging, including bumpers and floating bases, both of which can effectively cushion equipment properly, adequate crating, and weight distribution. This, combined with accurate dimensions and weights, valuations and pictures will allow even the most sensitive pieces of equipment to be handled properly.
A Complete Solution:
The most reliable logistics companies know how to handle all aspects of medical equipment shipping. This means that their customers can count on complete service solutions. Thanks to concepts like proper packaging, real-time tracking, and white glove service, these delicate yet expensive shipments will always be handled with grace. STC Logistics is a trusted provider of logistics solutions for the medical industry. Call us at 1-800-547-4324 or click here to learn more.
The Impact of Mobile Technologies on Logistics Solutions
There are many things to consider when hiring a third party logistics company today. While the basics involve utilizing air, land, or sea transportation to move goods from one point to another, there are many intricacies that are added to the process in order to increase efficiency—both for the customer and the logistics company itself. With shifting trends and the notion of new logistics technologies being ever present, there are many concepts that are improving the way freight gets moved.
Overall, the most revolutionary changes that are happening in logistics technologies today are widely due to advances in mobile logistics technologies. In the past, there were only primitive ruggedized devices that were specifically put into use for supply chain environments. Now, the lines between consumer and commercial grade equipment are becoming blurred because of new logistics technologies. This provides customers, as well as professionals, with crucial solutions to improve processes in every step of the supply chain.
Technology and Logistics in the Warehouse
The utilization of mobile logistics technologies in the warehouse has completely changed the way that companies think about setting up, as well as sorting and segregating inventory. With a single smart phone, warehouse employees are now able to:
- View inventory counts remotely
- Scan inventory both short and long range
- Use voice activated commands to conduct operations hands free
- Send information through the cloud for instant results
- Track and trace transportation itineraries and transit times
Another warehouse trend that cloud-based logistics technologies have set is the use of complete mobile solutions. Because logistics technologies have spider-webbed into so many devices, warehouse teams can now use smart phones and tablets in combination with mobile printers. These scanning devices enable the warehouse workers to reduce the need to move back and forth to different stations in the warehouse. This eliminates issues with sorting, segregating, picking and packing, setting up RFID solutions, scanning barcodes and printing.
For the Customer
Mobile logistics technologies have made the customer end of logistics more productive than ever before. With app development at an all time high, the customer now has more information at their fingertips than ever before. These logistics technologies allow the customer to forgo contacting 3PLs directly in regards to queries such as:
- Inventory quantities
- Price quotes
- Real-time transit status updates
- Delivery times
- Confirmation of POD
Tracking has always been a huge issue for customers until recently because there was little information available without making hard inquiries by phone. But now, trucks, trains, ships, and planes can be outfitted with GPS trackers that the customer can dial into from their smart phone to see exactly where their freight is. This allows them to not only satisfy their curiosity, but plan accordingly based on suggested arrival times.
For the Driver
Utilizing the same type of logistics technologies, truck drivers can now perform many functions with far greater efficiency. Smart phones allow drivers to accurately capture customer signatures upon delivery, track their hours, and even examine statistics about their driving performance. GPS systems can also provide real time data about traffic situations so that they know about areas that should be avoided to achieve shorter transit times.
The Wave of the Future
The smart phone based logistics technologies available today are completely changing the way that everyone thinks about logistics. It is even paving the way for other advances in the future such as 3D printing and greater use of green solutions. For now, 3PLs and customers alike can enjoy the way that mobile logistics technologies has helped to improve the process overall.
STC Logistics utilizes the latest in technology for all logistics solutions. Contact us today to get a quote for your next shipment!
Photo credit: manufacturingdigital.com
The Importance of Reliable Pharmaceutical Logistics Practices
While logistics is a most crucial matter to companies in any industry, getting pharmaceutical logistics solutions right can be a matter of life and death, depending on the situation. Hospitals, primary care physicians, urgent care facilities, pharmacies, and a number of other establishments need to have medicines readily available in order to care for their patients; sometimes for life threatening situations. Fortunately, the top pharmaceutical logistics companies have specific services tailored to the unique demands of this industry.
Shipping Checks and Balances:
Whether pharmaceutical logistics solutions involve goods that are being shipped by air, land or sea, the most reliable companies will take measures to ensure that cargo arrives promptly and in one piece by performing the following procedures:
- Creating temperature controlled environments
- Utilizing the correct padding, boxing and stacking methods to prevent jostling or breakage
- Taking extra security measures to ensure the correct parties are handling and receiving the goods from when the cargo is picked up until it is delivered
- Offering several transport methods to offer rush delivery if necessary
By offering such a broad range of shipping services, the most elite pharmaceutical logistics companies can help customers with even the most specific needs. This allows their patients to receive the medicine they will ultimately need for recovery. Even under strained circumstances, there are always pharmaceutical logistics choices that top providers can decide on to ease stress of those who need the product the most.
Management Solutions:
Companies that offer all of the most reliable and trusted pharmaceutical logistics solutions are also experts at knowing how to manage even the most complicated of orders. These notions go far beyond getting the timing, packing and shipping methods correct. Customers in the pharmaceutical industry have specific demands that need to be met in a timely manner, and pharmaceutical logistics companies can respond successfully by offering the following:
- Specialized freight management solutions to prioritize each shipment based on customer needs
- Tracking with technology that allows up to the minute real-time reporting so that customers always know where their shipment is
- Vast and far reaching distribution services to ship any freight just about anywhere in a specific time frame
- White glove services that compliment courier, fulfillment, delivery and customer service solutions so that both the merchandise and customer are treated with respect
Pharmaceutical logistics companies are aware that there are not just lives, but a tremendous amount of money at stake with each shipment. One false move can cause a shipment of medicine to break, expire or end up lost and can result in a loss of tens or hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. This is why the nature of the pharmaceutical logistics solutions that specialized companies offer is so vast.
The Importance of Building Trust with Your Logistics Provider:
When handling incredibly sensitive materials, there is nothing more important than facilitating an air of truth between customer and pharmaceutical logistics providers. While the act of trust may begin with promises, it always ends in the deeds of both parties involved in each transaction. This is why top pharmaceutical logistics companies go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure long and lasting relationships. Successful logistics companies dealing with the pharmaceutical industry pride themselves on building a series of connections with lifelong customers who trust many of the lives of their patients to the overall performance of the logistics company itself.
STC Logistics strives to continue to be a trusted partner for pharmaceutical logistics solutions, including air shipping and ground shipping. Contact us today to learn about all of the logistics solutions that we can provide for your pharmaceutical shipping needs.
The Impact of White Glove Service for Logistics Solutions
There are many different types of freight being shipped every day across land, air, and sea channels. Some items tend to be far more fragile than others,thus require specialized attention in order to prevent an imminent disaster. The most ideal logistics solutions needed for cargo of the most delicate nature will come from carriers who embrace the concepts behind white glove service and understand its overall importance. As a result of such diligence, any business can feel secure knowing that their logistics affiliates are willing to take the time to carefully secure, handle and transport their cargo based on the unique physical attributes each shipment possesses, as well as the price tag of the items themselves and the time-sensitivity they require.
Countering Potential Shipping Issues:
Just as different types of freight require different levels of hands on attention, each unique shipping method offers its own challenges regarding the way that freight must be handled. Fortunately, the use of white glove service presents a measurable counter for any potential threat that may or may not occur during all steps of the shipping process. Direct line-haul service can be used to minimize transfers, while special attention can be given to pick up and delivery methods. Transit times are reduced and your freight is tracked consistently to ensure on-time deliveries of your most time-sensitive cargo.
By Land:
When moving shipments by truck, some of the preventable dangers that can be experienced on the road include:
- Jostling of freight that could easily cause it to crack, break, or otherwise be damaged – remedied by packaging and securing the freight with the proper equipment
- The ever present threat of getting into an accident while on road – accidents occur, but timeliness in recovering from them is determinant in completing the job.
- Problems that could develop based on the temperature of the cab depending on the type of freight that is being shipped – temperature controlled equipment and temp tabs can regulate and monitor these issues
- Theft or vandalism that could easily happen while a truck is parked at any location – inventory tracking technology, secure cross-docking facilities, locked trucks and video monitored loading docks are some precautions taken to minimize theft
By Sea:
Problems that could be encountered by sea are somewhat similar and include:
- Waves from bad weather conditions that could easily cause the freight to be bounced around – contracting the correct size equipment and securing cargo is important in preventing slippage
- Long travel times that could cause time sensitive freight to expire – by knowing anticipated transit times and the nature of the product, your logistics company can lead you to choose the best service based on your type of freight.
- Temperature issues, especially if freight is being kept below deck – remedied just as any temperature sensitive situation
By Air:
The issues for freight moving by air are less serious, even though this is considered to be the safest means of transport:
- Jostling that could take place during take-off and landing – packaging practices are crucial
- Turbulence in the air – D-containers may be implemented to prevent moving inside the cargo space
The Solution:
Any business will find that logistics companies who pride themselves in offering white glove service can effectively combat each and every one of these issues. In doing so, such companies will assess if all items are neatly packed and secured with proper materials, all boxes are sealed correctly, delicate items are wrapped in the proper way, everything is loaded in the neatest order possible, and the correct type of shipping method used for particular types of freight. Packaging assessments should be made and solutions offered to your shippers so they can reinforce products prior to shipping. Without this level of service, there are too many potential disasters that could befall the freight in question which ultimately means lost time, lost money and unhappy customers.
By employing proper white glove service, logistics companies like STC Logistics are ensuring that those they work with will never have to fret in regards to even the most expensive or delicate types of freight. Because the top logistics outfits take their time to develop a unique solution, born in practices of white glove service and then custom tailor it for each and every item, it makes their service standards worth looking into. Because freight must ultimately be shipped in one manner or another, choosing the safest and most secure methods simply makes sense, which of course is precisely the aim of white glove service overall. Any company bold enough to embrace white glove service standards will be rewarded with personalized service, fewer pieces of damaged freight, faster shipping times, and happier customers overall.
To learn more about how you can safety ship the most delicate and high importance items from a trusted logistics provider, please click here.
New 3PL Technology Services Establish Flexibility and Reliability
The biggest challenge with any 3PL provider is the ability to report up-to-date feedback on the status of a clients’ cargo. This challenge requires a strong element of control when dealing with time sensitive processes. It is crucial that a successful logistics plan is in place for any manufacturing or distribution establishment. According to a survey by Ernst and Young, more than 5% of all sales go to transportation. It is obvious that most organizations and businesses desire to have their customers served in the most efficient manner. This is where the latest technology practices come in to establish flexibility and reliability in logistics.
3PL Technology Removes Complexity
In order to instill the right confidence in a transportation transaction, 3PL providers integrate new technology for capturing and analyzing data points along the supply chain. These data points include updates on preparation and planning, cargo dimensions, customer-specific instructions, packaging/handling, restrictions and destinations. All this information needs to be coordinated in order to track, trace and control the movement of cargo within a specified time frame. Without using new technology, this can be challenging to manage, especially since each cargo requirement is unique.
3PL Technology Integrates with Customer Processes
The value of the new technology that 3PL’s provide is very useful to the customer when they can relate it to their priorities. Many customers desire having the option to check up on cargo status as well as being able to specify times and dates for collection, storage and delivery. Most cargo deliveries are quite sensitive to the degree of where specific ambient conditions are specified and bound within a specific delivery time. Advanced 3PL companies present an integrated way of interacting with a system. Many allow their customers to interact with their orders in a real-time fashion which offers control over the period, the condition and the handling requirements for their cargo. This integrated approach presents the 3PL company as a reliable service that is respondent to a customer’s specific needs on demand. In turn this allows the 3PL to understand the dynamic needs of each client to ensure quality, service satisfaction and efficiency.
Value Added Features
It is reassuring when customers know the status of the cargo. In terms of location, expected time of arrival, status and condition, it is crucial for business to run smoothly. This information gives clients a confidence of service reliability since the 3PL company is committing to the customer service process. From the 3PL perspective, things might look a little hectic in meeting this requirement, but the best companies have adopted the following accurate practices:
- Monitoring the cargo through time-stamped status updates which reflect the condition and location of the cargo. Tracking information is relayed directly to the customer portal where it is reflected as real-time information.
- Tracing the whereabouts of cargo in the event that the delivery instructions change or there are unavoidable circumstances that would prevent timely delivery of the cargo. This is typically monitored internally and serves as a tool to pin-point cargo.
- Implementing a logistics plan allows for management and structure of the cargo. This ensures that odd-sized or delicate goods get specialized attention, that handling precaution has been made and that the cargo is moving by means of adequate transportation services.
Determining and Managing Transportation Methods
Premier 3PL companies use many methods of transportation; whether by sea, rail, road or air, their clients’ products, priorities and constraints are central to accomplishing a common goal. These methods allow 3PL’s the flexibility to respond quickly to time or budget critical orders. In order to serve all customers with integrated equal maintenance, accessibility to new technology practices is essential in allowing customers to plan effectively. The use of advanced technology allows all transportation schedules and parameters to be joined into one common operating system.
STC Logistics utilizes and offers to their clients, the most up-to-date technology programs and practices. Learn more about our shipping process by clicking here.
